Hygrometer



Oct. 21, 1958 H. M. DEAN HYGROMETER Filed May 23, 1957 I NV E N TOR.flEAM/YDEAN.

evnlwcy 2,856,774 Patented Oct. 21, 1958 ice HYGROMETER Hiram M. Dean,Oakland, Calif. Application May 23, 1957, Serial No. 661,087

8 Claims. (Cl. 73-3375) My present invention relates to hygrometers andmore particularly to a hygrometer of new and novel construction and ithas for one of its objects the provision of a hygrometer elementresponsive to changes in atmospheric conditions by which indications ofatmospheric conditions and the direction in which the last change inweather conditions occurred may also be determined by a single reading.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive hygrometerelement that may be embodied in a pocket size unit for use with a pen orpencil or other comparable device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hygrometer elementhaving a weather sensitive element in association with an energy storingdevice and holding means which when released will permit the weathersensitive element to indicate any change in weather conditions anddirection thereof upon an indicating dial.

Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled inthe art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with theaccompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration andnot of limitation preferred. embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure 1 is a view in section taken along the vertical center line of adevice constructed in accordance with a preferred form of the invention,

Figure 2 is a front view of the device as shown in Figure 1, with aportion broken away and in section to illustrate a modified form of myinvention,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a further modified formwhich my invention may take,

Figure 4 is a top View of the device as shown in Figure 1 with atransparent magnifying cap removed,

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines V--V of Figure1, looking in direction of arrows,

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines VI-VI ofFigure 2, looking in direction of arrows, and

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines VII-VII ofFigure 3, looking in direction of arrows.

For a better understanding of the invention reference is now made toFigure l of the accompanying drawing showing the invention in itssimplest form. In this figure of the drawings, the numeral 10 designatesa weather sensitive length of catgut having a bearing member 11 at itsupper end that is movable within a collar 12 which is inserted at theupper end of a cylindrical housing 13. The bearing member 11 carries apointer 14 that moves relative to weather indicating indicia carried atthe outer side of the collar 12. The upper end of the housing 13 is alsoshown as closed by a transparent magnifying cap through which thepointer 14 is visible. Extending into the side of the housing 13 andthrough the collar 12, there is a brake pin 16 which engages andoperates to normally hold the bearing member 11 against rotation by thecatgut 10. In this instance, the brake pin 16 is biased into anoperative position by a bow spring 17 that operates through a lever 18carried by a pocket engaging clip 19. This pocket clip 19, except forthe bow spring 17 and the lever 18, is of conventional construction andit carries a pocket engaging lever 20 that is biased into engagementwith the pocket of a garment by a bow spring 21. At the lower end of thehousing 13, the catgut 10 engages an energy storing means having aplug-like base 22 of vulcanized rubber or like elastic material which isfrictionally held in the housing 13. Extending upwardly from theplug-like base 22 there is a relatively small diameter elastic portion23 that carries a head 24 into which the lower end of the catgut 10 issecured. In this instance, the housing 13 is also shown as extendingbeyond the plug-like support 22 so as to provide a socket into which theupper end of a pencil or like device 25 may be inserted and held.

In Figure 2 of the drawings, there is shown a modification of theinvention in which the elastic plug-like base 22 with its energy storingelastic portion 23 is replaced by an energy storing means employing ahelical spring. In this instance, the catgut 10 is secured to a guidemember 26 that is centered at its lower end upon a pin 27 which extendsupwardly from a plug-like closure 28 inserted into the lower end of thehousing 13. The guide member 26 has a shouldered portion to which theupper end of a helical spring 29 is secured and at its lower end thehelical spring 29 is secured to the plug-like closure 28. With thisarrangement, it will be seen that as the catgut 10 twists in onedirection or the other with its upper end held by the brake pin 16, asshown in Figure l, the helical spring 29 will be wound or unwound insuch a manner that the energy or degree of twist imparted by the catgut10 will be stored up and available for an operation of the indicatingpointer 14 upon a release thereof by an operation of the brake pincontrolling lever 18.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, there is shown a further modification ofthe invention in which an energy storing helical spring 30 is shown ashaving its convolutions disposed about the catgut 10. In this instance,the energy storing spring 36 is secured at its upper end within ahousing 31 into which the end of the catgut extends and at its extremelower end, the catgut 10 carries a centering member 32 to which thelower end of the energy storing spring 30 is connected. In thisarrangement, the housing 31 has a plug-like base 33 that is insertedinto the housing 13 and it has a cavity 34 into which a pin 35 carriedby the centering member 32 extends.

As shown in Figure 4, the indicia at the outer end of the collar 12 isprovided with weather condition indicat ing indicia over which thepointer 14 moves and in Figure 5, the collar 12 is shown as having aradial base 36 through which the brake pin 16 extends into engagementwith the bearing means 11 at the upper end of the catgut 10.

As shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, the spiral spring 29 hasrelatively large diameter convolutions whereas as shown in Figure 7, theenergy storing spring means 30 is shown as having relatively smalldiameter convolutions.

With the above described arrangement, it will be seen that when inoperation, with the catgut 10 held at its upper end against operation ofthe weather condition indicating means, the elastic energy storingportion 23 of the plug-like base 22 as shown in Figure l, or the springs29 and 39, as shown respectively in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings,will absorb any such twisting motion as is produced in the catgut It) bychanges in weather conditions. Thus with these energy storing devices atthe lower ends of the catgut and with the catgut 10 held againstrotation at its upper end, it will be seen that upon a release of theupper end of the catgut through an operation of the brake pin 16, theseenergy storing devices will become operative through the catgut totransmit the energy stored thereby and thus not only provide anindication as to prevailing weather conditions, but also make itpossible for the user to observe in which direction the change inweather conditions has occurred. This latter information being evidencedby the direction in which the pointer 14 moves from one point upon theindicating dial to another point thereupon and, of course,

if no change in weather conditions has occurred, there will be nostoring of energy and consequently no movement of the indicating pointer14. In order to expose the catgut element 10 to external weatherconditions and atmospheric changes the housing 13 is also shown ashaving elongated slots or air passageways 37 arranged about the housing13 intermediate the ends of the catgut 10.

While I have for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose myinvention so that the same can be readily understood, described andillustrated a specific form and arrangement, I desire to have itunderstood that this invention is not limited to a pocket size device orthe specific form disclosed, but may be embodied in other forms ofhygrometers that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art.It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as comewithin the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part ofthis invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a hygrometer, the combination of an elongated weather sensitiveelement connected at one end to operate indicating means having a dialcarrying atmospheric designation, means for holding said indicatingmeans against operation by said weather sensitive element, and means atthe other end of said weather sensitive element for storing energyimparted thereto by said element in responsing to atmospheric changes,said last means being operable to transmit said stored energy throughsaid weather sensitive element and operate said indicating means upon arelease of said holding means.

2. In a hygrometer, the combination of an elongated weather sensitiveelement connected at one end to operate atmospheric condition indicatingmeans, means for holding said indicating means against operation by saidweather sensitive element, and means connected to the other end of saidweather sensitive element for storing energy imparted thereto by saidelement when responsing to changes in atmospheric conditions, said lastmeans being operable to transmit said stored energy and operate saidindicating means upon a release of said holding means.

3. In a hygrometer, the combination of a length of Weather sensitivecatgut connected at one end to operate an indicating means having a dialcarrying atmospheric condition indicia, means for holdingsaid indicatingmeans against operation by said catgut, and means connected to the otherend of said catgut for storing energy imparted thereto by said catgutwhen responding to changes in atmospheric conditions, said last meansbeing operable to transmit said stored energy through said catgut andoperate said indicating means upon a release of said holding means.

4. In a pocket hygrometer of the character described, the combination ofan elongated cylindrical housing, an elongated weather sensitive elementmounted within said housing and connected atone end to a weathercondition at the other end of said weather sensitive elementoperindicating means visible at the end of the said housing, means fornormally holding said weather condition indicating means againstoperation by said Weather sensitive element, a pocket clip having aspring biased pocket engaging lever extending along the outside of saidcylindrical housing, and a second spring biased lever carried by saidpocket clip engaging said holding means and operable to release saidweather condition indicating means by movement of said pocket engaginglever.

5. In a pocket hygrometer of the character described, the combination ofan elongated cylindrical housing, a length of weather sensitive catgutwithin said housing and connected at one end to a weather conditionindicating means visible at the end of said housing, means for normallyholding said Weather condition indicating means against operation bysaid catgut, a pocket clip having a spring biased pocket engaging leverextending along the outside of said cylindrical housing, and a secondspring biased lever carried by said pocket clip engaging said holdingmeans operable to release said weather condition indicating means uponextreme movement of the pocket engaging lever of said pocket clip.

6. In a pocket hygrometer of the character described, the combination ofan elongated weather sensitive element, a Weather condition indicatingmeans to which one end of said element is connected, means for normallyholding said weather condition indicating means against operation bysaid element, and an energy storing means at the other end of saidweather sensitive element operable upon a release of said holding meansto give up said stored energy and operate said indicating means, saidenergy storing means consisting of a length of elastic materialconnected in coextending relation between the end of said Weathersensitive element and a fixed support;

7. In a pocket hygrometer of the character described, the combination ofan elongated weather sensitive element, a weather condition indicatingmeans to which one end of said element is connected, means for normallyholding said weather condition indicating means against. operation bysaid element, and an energy storing means at the other end of saidweather sensitive element operable upon a release of said holding meansto give up said stored energy and operate said indicating means, saidenergy storing means consisting of a torsion spring connected incoextending relation between the end of said weather sensitive elementand a fixed support.

8. In a pocket hygrometer of the character described, the combination ofan elongated weather sensitive element, a weather condition indicatingmeans to which one end of said element is connected, means for normallyholding said weather condition indicating means against operation bysaid element, and an energy storing means References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gerrer Jan. 24, 1905 Sampietro Apr.6, 1920 Mayers Oct. 27, 1942

